Landlord Martin Ford has raised a glass to a hat-trick of titles after his pub was once again named the best in the Potteries.

Newcastle’s Hopinn saw off competition from a number of venues across the area to be given the thumbs up by ale fans and scoop the CAMRA Potteries Pub of the Year for the third year running.

The result was announced at this year’s Stoke Beer and Cider Festival where organisers served up awards for most popular venues across North Staffordshire’s vibrant pub scene.

Martin admitted he was delighted to once again collect the much sought-after prize. The 63-year-old said: “This is the third time we have won the award. It’s really nice that people appreciate everything we do. Hopefully it’s down to the effort we make. I travel all over the country looking for good beers. We have got nice customers and that makes for a good atmosphere.”

Martin Ford, landlord of The Hop Inn, Albert Street which has won the CAMRA Pub of the Year award for the third time at a presentation at the Stoke Beer Festival (Image: Pete Stonier / Stoke Sentinel)

The Holy Inadequate, at Etruria, was named runner-up, and the Bull’s Head at Burslem came in third place at the prize giving ceremony, held on the last day of the highly successful festival, which was held at Spode’s China Hall in Stoke for the first time.

Martin added: “I think they have done a great job with the festival. The new venue is better, there have been a lot of people enjoying themselves and it brings us all together. We’re all after the same thing, which is good beer and good company.”

Video Loading

Video Unavailable

Click to playTap to play

The video will start in 8Cancel

Play now

In the Cider Pub of the Year it was more success for Newcastle with Bridge Street Ale House landing top prize while he Bull’s Head at Burslem and the Swan at Bignall End both earning merits.

Read More

“I think this year’s festival is fantastic. I think the venue is far better.”

Other winners included Porthill Park Cricket Club, which won the Club of the Year, and Sam and Shaun Russell, of the Congress, in Longton, who won the Barry Underwood Award for services to real ale.

The Fountain Inn at Leek won CAMRA Staffordshire Moorland’s Pub of the Year, with the Crossways at Blythe Bridge named Village Pub of the Year, and the Black Lion at Consall Forge Cider Pub of the Year.

The three-day event, organised by the Potteries CAMRA branch, marked the 38th beer festival, which was sponsored by Titanic Brewery. Visitors could choose from 105 real ales, and 75 different ciders.

Chairman Corin Brown said: “We didn’t know how it was going to go with it being a new venue. There’s been numerous challenges and so much hard work behind the scenes.

“But at one point we had 1,700 people in through the doors at one time. That shows people wanted to come here. They have voted with their feet.”

Read More

Organiser Nick Pellington, aged 46, of Wolstanton, said: “It has taken a lot of hard work and I was a bit anxious, but I was relieved after Friday night’s figures, putting 1,700 people through the door, while and the amount of beer we sold was unprecedented.

“It’s really good that Stoke-on-Trent has got such a thriving real ale scene, and I’d like to say a big thank-you to Titanic, our sponsors.”

“It has always been a very popular festival, but in the last couple of years numbers have declined, which has happened nationwide. We believe that’s because more pubs are offering a choice of good beer.

Read More

“But we wanted this venue and numbers are definitely up, it has been really good.

“Next year we are going to be even bigger and better.”

Left over supplies of beer were delivered to the Civic Hall in Stoke, to be served to people attending a reception following the Remembrance Service.